The barbette mounts along the front face of the fort would have mounted much of the forts firepower. However, the fort was never fully armed, and the weapons provided were installed in the more protected casemates with the exception of the 15-inch Rodmans and the Parrot rifles.
The fort was designed to be able to withstand a siege if enemy troops were landed on the island. In order to provide water for the garrison, an elaborate series of drains, such as this one, are located on the upper portion of the fort. These lead to pipes which run through columns in the casemate pillars, eventually reaching cisterns located under the guardrooms of the fort. The cisterns were large tanks to hold fresh water, which would be unavailable otherwise.
Three spiral staircases made of granite and enclosed by brick lead to the barbette level of the fort. The precision and quality of workmanship shown on these staircases is amazing given the wartime conditions that prevailed when the fort was being completed.Continue
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